How to Talk to Your Elders About Aging
As your loved ones age, you may notice them having a harder time doing certain activities around the house. Changes in lifestyle due to aging are a hard topic to approach with your elderly parents or grandparents, but it will be beneficial in keeping them safe and comfortable in the future. Therefore, planning the conversation ahead of time will make the task easier for all parties.
When looking for a comfortable assisted senior living community, many residents in the Northern Virginia area trust Tysons Woods Assisted Living with their loved one’s care. We understand transitioning from one home to another is not an easy decision, and we will do our best to ease you and your loved one into the process as smoothly as possible. Our highly-trained caregivers will provide your family members with care plans suited to their individual needs. Here are some tips on how you can discuss the assisted living home transition with your loved one:
Write Down Your Thoughts
This topic is a delicate one and you may want to choose your words carefully. It may be beneficial to write your thoughts down before you discuss it aloud with your loved one. Keep an open-mind and contemplate how your loved one will feel and what you can say to comfort them. Consider discussing how their freedom, safety, and peace of mind will not be taken away, but fully-assured.
Be Respectful
Listen. This action alone is the most critical step in the conversation. Hearing their concerns may be advantageous in making the transition easier for them. If you know what they are worried about, you can address them and help your loved one understand how beneficial their transition to an assisted living community will be.
Ease Into The Conversation
Ice breakers are a very effective way of easing into this subject. They lessen the tension for you and helps to relax the atmosphere so that the topic arises naturally. If you are nervous about approaching the topic, it may help to do a practice run first. Have someone you trust act as the listener and tell your ideas to them. This person can give you another set of ears to bounce your ideas off of and help solidify your approach to the overall discussion.
Involve Everyone
Don’t forget to involve everyone in your family. It can be stressful if you take all of the responsibility. Having your family there to help you will help ease some of the tension. Together, with all your loved ones, you can show your support to your elderly parents or grandparents, assuring them that although they will be living somewhere else, they will never be left out or forgotten. Reassuring your loved one will be cared for and given everything they will ever need will ultimately give them the peace of mind they deserve.
Visit Tysons Woods Assisted Senior Living Community in Northern VA
Discussing big changes, such as moving your loved ones to a safer and more comfortable living space, is often times tough to talk about. When bringing up the topic of transitioning your loved one into a reliable assisted senior living community, Tysons Woods understands the fragility of the situation. We are here to guide you and your loved one through each step to make it a simple and smooth transition. Contact us at (703) 846-0395 to schedule a tour or speak to one of our personable specialists for more information.